Stephanie Middleton, who teaches ninth through 12th grade at Professional and Technical High School, accepted the honor Friday night.

"When learning is made to be fun, engaging and done utilizing methods such as games and technology that attract students, it encourages them, draws them into studying and reviewing, and creates learning experiences in a variety of places which then translates into test scores," said Middleton. "Looking at the learning gains made by my students over the year, I am encouraged to continue to find ways to keep learning fresh."

According to the school district, Middleton has excelled at integrating the latest technology into her classroom, including having the students use their own mobile devices.

Her instructional methods have translated into higher test scores for students, and in the last two years of teaching AP Human Geography, the average passing rates for her students on the AP exam were higher than the national average.

Middleton will represent the district at the Florida Department of Education/Macy's 2014 Teacher of the Year judging.